Sweaty Entry

Sawadeeka!

"The Land of Smiles" accurately describes me the past few days in Bangkok. Smiling at every turn of the corner, new activity, new sensory experience (well, not all the smells), and new introduction I am here and thrilled!
After approximately 18 hours in coach seating, a few layovers, some waiting in the airport, and an early morning van ride, our team made it to Bangkok. We arrived at our hotel at about 3am Saturday the 30th (we left the States Thursday morning) and made it to bed close to 4am. Just a few short hours later we woke up for a wonderful breakfast at our beautiful Kantary Hotel, then headed out to tour the Grand Palace with our exceedingly knowledgeable tour-guide, Richard (not his Thai name, but he was kind enough to allow us a nick-name). The Grand Palace is extensive, beautiful, and thought provoking. Our tour was at least 2 hours long- in 90 degree, 70% humidity.

Hopefully this shows how expansive the Palace is...no wonder the tour was hours long!

These are demon statues that guard the Palace...I think. And if you look at their ring, you die. The reason it is from the side ;)

There are Buddha statues EVERYWHERE.

Housed in the Grand Palace is the Emerald Buddha, a rather small but the most valuable and important Buddhist statue. It is beautifully carved out of emerald and enshrined in the most ornate temple. At the change of each season the king ceremonially changes it's out-fit. I have no pictures of the statue. Though photos were allowed from outside the temple, they were prohibited inside and I did not feel comfortable taking pictures of it. You can Google search it. We entered the temple and were surrounded by silent worshippers. It was not the idolatry that struck me, as America and often our own hearts are riddled with it. Instead it was the total blindness and lost-ness that struck me. People are made to worship. In America the Good News is rather accessible, however it is a totally foreign concept here. Therefore, people act as they are created to act, but in a completely misguided way. If only their earnest and devoted worship were of the Creator, rather than the created. If only the worship in our own hearts were earnest and devoted.

After our tour of the Grand Palace and several gallons of sweating, we took a boat tour of Bangkok. Unbeknownst to us, the city is considered the Venice of the East as the river splinters throughout the city. It was beautiful and refreshing.

Sunday we accompanied the missionary to a Thai national church. How encouraging! Considering 95% of the nation is Buddhist and only 1% are Christian it was awesome to visit a Thai church of about 400 people. After the service everyone stayed for a pot-luck Thai style! I did not ask what I was eating and simply enjoyed the new flavors.

Monday the team going to Chiang Mai headed to the airport after dropping April and me off at the campus to meet new students. It was the freshman orientation at Ramkhamheng 2, the freshman campus. The English Hour club had a booth set up and was bringing new students by to sign up and meet us. It was a day of many new names, faces and much small talk. From my understanding we will be spending most of our time at the other campus, sophomore-seniors. Total, the university has about 600,000 students: unfathomable.

Today we moved into the apartment and became a little more oriented with our surroundings.

Pardon the length of this entry, but it is all just too exciting not to share with all of you! Since we are not yet on a normal schedule, I am not sure how often I will write, but we do have free internet access in our apartment.

Thank you for your continued prayer. Please pray for guidance, boldness and openness!